Faces
by Cathryn G
Summary: New Years eve, party, fancy dress, drinks, dancing... all very fun stuff! CG and CW NEW... EPILOGUE NOW INCLUDED
1. Superwoman

Title: Faces  
Author: Cathryn   
Reviews: I'd appreciate it.   
Rating: PG  
Spoilers: Nope  
Author's Notes: My first EVER fic so reviews will be very welcome. This isn't a serious story - just fun.  
Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. If they were I'd be rich and would not have written this!  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 1 - Superwoman  
  
  
  
July 20th - 4pm  
CSI Break Room  
  
  
  
All five CSIs walked into the break room each with a disgruntled look forming on their face. They had just spent five hours at their latest crime scene in the blistering heat of the sun, undergoing a scrutinising examination of desert land, only to achieve nothing to help them with their investigation. Sara, Nick and Warrick all fell down heavily in their seats, slumping and sighing as they did so, all annoyed at the amount of overtime they had to do and ending up with no results. Catherine reached for the five cold bottles of water she had placed in the fridge before they left for the desert, knowing how hot and sticky they would feel on their return. She threw one to each of the CSIs in the seats and rested the last two on the table, where she placed herself in the chair opposite Grissom. A smile appeared on the three younger investigators' faces as they received the cold drinks. Nick and Warrick opened theirs immediately, while Sara took the time to brush the cold bottle across her forehead, shutting her eyes with relief as the cold balanced with the heat on her skin.  
  
  
  
Catherine shot an amused glance across the table at Grissom before she opened her own bottle and gulped down the first half. She sighed at the feel of the water running down her throat, got up and walked out of the room. No one said a word until fifteen minutes later when she came back with an ice cream in her hand and a big grin on her face. As she walked into the room it felt hotter than when she left, the four people collapsed inside were like radiators and giving off heat by the gallon. She left the door open so as to allow a breeze to enter the room. The three CSIs sitting together each had a face of envy and shot Catherine their disgruntled looks for not getting them an ice cream.   
  
"So where's ours?" Nick asked Catherine, possibly with a hint of annoyance in his tone.   
  
Catherine said nothing, but flaunted her ice cream in front of them, licking it slowly and sighing loudly as the cold hit her hot throat. This scene of Catherine's had a mouth-watering effect on her audience. She laughed at them and produced four extra ice creams, which she passed to Sara, Nick and Warrick, who, with much relief, gave her their most sincere thanks and then walked over to Grissom to give him his. He had not moved since she left to buy the ice creams. Catherine waved the ice cream in front of the meditative stare going on between Grissom and the table; he looked up and smiled his thanks.  
  
  
  
  
  
Fifteen Minutes later...  
  
  
  
Greg heard the loud bang in the break room and whizzed around in order to see through the glass window. He smiled at what he saw. Warrick was on the floor rubbing his head and Lindsey was standing over him with a triumphant look covering her face.  
  
"You ok?" Catherine asked him with an amused look on her face.  
  
"Yeh... I'm fine."   
  
Hearing the chuckle Catherine was trying to conceal, he glanced at her with a little smile beginning to appear on his face, and added,   
  
"It's not funny Catherine. Your daughter is like Superwoman!"  
  
Lindsey burst into uncontrollable laughter at hearing herself being associated with Superwoman. Then she suddenly stopped as she remembered something,   
  
"Uncle Grissom told me that mummy was like Superwoman too."  
  
The blush from Catherine and the shocked but amused faces of the 3 other CSIs went unnoticed by the small child as she added,   
  
"Maybe it runs in the family."  
  
Grissom, who was still sitting at the table, gave a small wink to the girl and tried his best, with success, to hide his embarrassment at her comment. Catherine's embarrassment however, was evident. She cleared her throat,   
  
"Linds, baby, go and get your stuff and we can have a few hours together before I have to come back to work."  
  
"Oh come on, Mum!" the 7 year old whined. "I only just got here"  
  
"Right," Catherine agreed, "and you have already managed to embarrass someone," she said, smiling slightly whilst waving a hand at Warrick's form, still on the floor, but actually referring to the unanticipated comment her daughter had made earlier. She paused, then continued, "Come on, sweetie." Grissom's eyes were on Catherine at this point and Catherine's gaze met his. She smiled at him knowingly. She knew he knew what she was talking about.  
  
"Let's go and get your things, baby."  
  
Lindsey walked out of the room with a pout and Catherine proceeded. She walked through the 'Goodbyes' from the 3 younger CSIs but hesitated as she heard a muffled,   
  
"See you, Superwoman."   
  
She turned to face the direction it came from and saw Grissom with his back to her filling in the blanks of the latest crossword puzzle. She smiled and walked out.  
  
  
  
  
  
December 27th - 6 Months Later - 2am  
Break Room  
  
  
  
"We have to go. We've all passed off the last six parties. It's getting ridiculous and extremely obvious. Sara's never even been to one."   
  
Nick was trying to persuade the team to go to the next of Brass' ever tormenting fancy dress parties. They had each had an invitation from him and had been planning to reply for three weeks; time was taken up by each trying to think of the best excuse that they could not to attend.   
  
"Come on, guys." Nick continued. "This is the first time the party has been at New Years and we were planing on being together for the New Year anyway."   
  
He then said hesitantly and with a grimace, "It might be fun."  
  
A snort came from most of the CSIs in the room and a "Whatever!" was uttered in between all the noises being made. Warrick however had something else on his mind that might persuade Nick, himself and especially Grissom to attend. He decided to voice his thought.  
  
"Yeh, maybe Catherine can go as Superwoman, hey Gris?"   
  
Laughter erupted from everyone but Grissom and Catherine, both of whom had blushes starting to form on their cheeks. Greg heard Warrick's comment as he passed the open door of the break room, and did a double take.  
  
"Catherine? Superwoman? Fill me in." He said eagerly to the team.  
  
Nick told Greg about Lindsey's innocent comment about Grissom's view on Catherine then told him about the party.  
  
"Ooh!" Greg responded. "I'd like to see that one!"   
  
He looked down, embarrassed as Catherine produced one of her many quick-witted comebacks,   
  
"I don't know if you could handle it, Greg. People used to tell me when I was dancing that my body threw fireballs it was so hot. Think what I'd do to you in a firm... sexy... sensual..." She paused as she leaned in towards Greg, "...clenching cat suit."   
  
Her voice then became a lot more seductive as she leaned in further, "It'd be brutal."  
  
A silence filled the room as the four men had all just had a picture created in their minds for them.  
  
"Well, that's me persuaded." Nick said quickly.  
  
"I'm with Nick, man." Warrick added, the picture of Catherine still embedded deep in his mind. Catherine was still leaning in to Greg, watching him vibrate under her enthralling stare. She winked at him as she pulled away, smiling. Although Catherine was older Greg still found her incredibly sexy. He couldn't think who wouldn't. After quickly trying to collect himself Greg said,   
  
"Yep, I'm in."  
  
  
  
On her way out of work going to her car Catherine literally bumped into Grissom going round the corner. He was rushing and she was taking her time because she was trying to find her keys in her bag so when they both reached the corner he slammed hard, right into her and she flew backward landing on the floor. She sat there chuckling to herself surrounded by most of the contents of her bag. Grissom apologised and asked if she was ok before helping her collect her stuff together, pausing on a few items, then helped her to her feet.  
  
"Thanks." She said.   
  
Grissom nodded and then spotted something white on the floor behind her.  
  
"That yours?" he asked, already on his way to achieve it.   
  
He picked it up and noticed Lindsey's writing saying, 'Mommy' on one side. He flipped it over and there was a picture of, he assumed, Catherine, dressed up as Superwoman.  
  
"Oh... right." Catherine smiled as she saw what Grissom had found.   
  
She went into her bag and took out another sheet of paper, this time with a picture of Superman on the front. She handed it to Grissom who turned it over and read 'Mr. Grissom'.  
  
"No way, Catherine. There is no way I'm dressing up as Superman." She smiled at his response.  
  
"Don't worry, Gris. I'm not asking you too. So you're definitely going then?"  
  
"Look, Cath, I'm sorry about all this Superwoman stuff. Although I must say you're handling it very well."  
  
Catherine looked at Grissom with the utmost affection in her eyes; he's apologising for paying her a huge compliment all because the other CSI members are harassing her, even though they're only teasing. She had to ask him, just to be sure.  
  
"Did you really say I was like Superwoman to Lindsey? Or is she just winding us up? She does that sometimes if you're involved. She wants... Never mind."   
  
Catherine stopped. She realised she was babbling, she didn't know why. Her daughter only wound her up about Grissom because she can tell how much Catherine admires him. She called him her second daddy once when Eddy was there - that didn't go down too well. Catherine looked at Grissom. She could tell he was confused about what she was talking about but didn't say anything, just waited for him to respond. Silence. Until,  
  
"I was telling Lindsey how strong you were, mentally. We all have to be in this job, and how we save people, and I compared you to Superwoman."   
  
That wasn't quite the whole truth. Grissom had also been thinking of Catherine's ability to give the most penetrating stare he'd ever seen, along with good looks and sex appeal. She really was Superwoman in his eyes. She smiled at him and repeated an earlier question he had not answered,  
  
"So, are you going to the party?"  
  
"I'll go. But you've got to help me find something to wear. You... are going as Superwoman, right?" He said with a smile shaping his face, "I mean I don't think the others will go if you don't, they'll be very disappointed."  
  
Once again she smiled, and answered, "I'll go as Superwoman, yeah. But only to help you out. Plus the guys will be pains in my ass if I don't! I think I got them a little too worked up earlier."  
  
"Come on, Cath. That's not the only reason. You know you'll look irresistible to every guy at that party."   
  
Catherine grinned at him and walked away. Knowing he would be staring after her, she turned back and winked at him as seductively as she could. This party was going to be fun.   
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
Hope you've enjoyed this first half! It'd be great if you could send me some feedback. Enjoy the 2nd chapter. Cath 


	2. Mistletoe

Chapter 2 - Mistletoe  
  
  
  
December 28th - The Next Day  
Costume Shop  
  
  
  
"Where are Nick and Sara?" Grissom said loudly to Warrick over the dressing room wall.  
  
"They're getting coffee together. They'll be with us soon. There's something weird going on with those two."  
  
"How so?"   
  
Before Warrick could answer he heard Catherine's voice call to the both of them.  
  
"Come on you two. I want to see what you look like."  
  
"There's no way I'm wearing this in public, Catherine." Grissom called back to her.  
  
"Yeh." Warrick agreed. "Let alone in front of a load of work colleagues!"  
  
"Don't be silly. It's just a bit of fun. Think about what I'm wearing. That should make you feel better about your own costumes."  
  
There was a slight pause as Grissom and Warrick stepped out of the changing rooms, each dressed in what Catherine could only describe as outfits that were simply character fitting. She knew Grissom would not want to be too eccentric with his choice of outfit so she chose an all black costume. Black trousers with a rippled, solid, black top resembling a beetle's body, and black antennas. Grissom saw her smile as if she looked pleased with the choice she had made.  
  
"Yes, Catherine. It's all very fitting and very amusing and I'm not going like this!"  
  
"Of course you are. Be thankful I didn't choose skin tight trousers for you to wear."   
  
He was. Then Catherine looked to Warrick and was amazed at how incredibly attractive she found him. He was wearing an army officer's uniform with the top three buttons of his shirt undone and the way he held himself, his posture, had always been very appealing to Catherine anyway. She had to check herself as she felt her mouth become slightly open at the sight of him. She stuttered as she said,   
  
"Well, don't... don't you look lovely."   
  
She cleared her throat. Trying to keep her eyes from constantly dashing to Warrick's stunning form.  
  
  
  
  
  
December 31st - 9pm  
Brass' House - The Night Of The Party  
  
  
  
Catherine was late. An hour late. Every guest there had gone all out on their costumes, which Grissom was extremely thankful for. He had kept to his Bugman costume and, though he felt embarrassed about the whole situation, at least he was feeling exactly the same thing everyone else at the party was feeling.  
  
"Where's Catherine?" Sara asked Grissom, as she came floating towards him in a medieval dress she had hired from the same shop Grissom had been to.  
  
"And who art thou milady?" Grissom replied, blatantly ignoring Sara's question.   
  
A smirk appeared on Sara's face.  
  
"Why, I am Queen Guinevere, sir," she answered, giving a slight curtsey and bowing her head in sync. "So where is Catherine?"  
  
As if on cue Catherine entered the foyer in which Grissom and Sara were standing. Not far away were Nick, Warrick and Greg, deep in conversation but stopping as they heard a sudden quiet fill the room. Catherine was clearly confident in her appearance, and every pair of eyes were on her. It felt like a secondary nature to Catherine, not because she was conceited, but because the feeling was familiar to her. The quiet started to build up into conversation again almost as quickly as it had begun. The four CSIs and the lab technician however, remained in silent awe of the woman before them.  
  
"Hi guys."   
  
Catherine decided it was time to interrupt the silence considering she had waited long enough for someone to greet to her. It was actually Brass who was the first to speak. He wandered over to the group in a Restoration Period costume with lots of lace, knee breeches and a white wig perched on top of his head; his stride in time with the music blaring out of the impressive hired sound system.  
  
"Hey, Cath."   
  
He said looking down to sort out his stockings as he was walking in. When he looked up to smile his greeting, he instead welcomed her with a, "Wow!" She smiled at his appearance and accepted the drink of Martine he offered her. Sara was the first of the group to say anything to Catherine. She inquired after Lindsey and this seemed to bring the men in the group back to their normal selves when around Catherine. Although admittedly it was difficult when she looked the way she did.  
  
"So... you decided to go with the superwoman thing then."   
  
Grissom took in her appearance, "no cloak," he pointed out.   
  
He was overwhelmed by her presentation this evening. He knew she was beautiful, he had seen that side of her everyday; but tonight was different. Tonight he felt such lewd desire for her. There were no other words for it. He saw her in her skin tight, all in one, Lycra, blue cat suit, along with red stilettos and an red and yellow 'S' in a diamond sewn on her cat suit covering her chest, and he was almost disconcerted about how much he felt he wanted her - almost.  
  
  
The six friends at the party spent most of the night together knocking back shots and telling stories about their past that had been kept in secret from the others. The more the drink the more intimate the stories - the more intimate the stories, the more the need for drink. Nick had just finished a story about a young woman, a spoon, grapes and mistletoe, which caused Sara to make the remark that she had never kissed anyone under mistletoe.  
  
"I really want to. It's sweet and doesn't have to mean anything unless you want it too. Also it gives people an excuse."  
  
"What do you mean?" Nick inquired.  
  
"Well," Sara continued, keeping her eyes firmly on Nick, "if there's a should we-shouldn't we thing going on, mistletoe is the perfect excuse to find out."   
  
She looked to Catherine opposite her,   
  
"What about you, Cath?"  
  
Catherine flashed a quick glance at Grissom and, as a result of too much Champagne and Martine, found herself broadly smiling.  
  
"We'll take that as a 'yes'. Is there a story? Who was he?"   
  
This was Nick, interested to find out one of Catherine's intimate stories since she had offered none. Once again Catherine looked at Grissom, also slightly tipsy, who shrugged; she proceeded.  
  
"It was the first Christmas I had had without Ed and I wasn't sure if I wanted him to be there or not. Anyway, Lindsey had helped me decorate the house and, like every year since I had been with Ed, the mistletoe went up in the hall near the front door. I didn't even give it a second thought. This was the year you guys all came over for Christmas dinner a couple of days before Christmas, remember?"   
  
There were a few nods from her audience.   
  
"When you were all getting drinks after we ate I went to put Lindsey to bed. I was coming down the stairs as the man in question was coming into the hall to see if he could help with anything. It just so happened that we met where the mistletoe was hanging. Neither of us noticed but we heard a certain little giggle coming from upstairs and we both looked up to see Lindsey staring above us. We followed her gaze and saw the mistletoe. It was sort of embarrassing actually; when we kissed it felt as though we had both been deprived of someone for a hundred years."  
  
"How do you mean?" Greg asked her eagerly.  
  
"Well, it was incredibly..." She paused, trying to think of the right word.  
  
"Passionate... lustful." Warrick helped her out.  
  
"Warrick?" Was the response Catherine found herself receiving from most of her listeners.  
  
"Hey! We were in the moment, man."   
  
Catherine gratefully heard him respond.   
  
"Speaking of in the moment," Warrick continued as he heard one of the very few decent songs he had heard all night come on, and also wanting to get away from the future prying questions he knew were going to be asked, he suggested, "Want to dance, Cath?" ...he might as well play it up though. She leaned against the back of her chair and looked up at him as he stood before her holding out his hand.  
  
"Sure," was her cool and fairly flirtatious answer as he pulled her to her feet.   
  
They walked between the crowd to the middle of the floor to dance to the almost seductive song being played. The three people, who were left bewildered by the events that presented themselves, stared after the couple as they walked away. The fourth however, understood everything. Grissom knew why Warrick had said what he'd said to the group about the mistletoe; he smiled to himself. After bringing himself out of his thoughts he looked to the group he was with for a conversation only to find them staring past him looking utterly speechless. He followed their eyes and then unconsciously copied the pattern of their facial expression.  
  
  
People had actually stopped to watch the couple dancing, both of whom were completely unaware of the eyes that bore into them; both immersed in the movements and rhythm of the dance. Catherine and Warrick had people transfixed as their bodies sensually moved almost hypnotically to the crowd. Their feeling of lust was apparent and being displayed without subtlety, keeping their proximity to a minimum and their hunger at its peak. She was able to pull movements most of the people there wouldn't have even seen, let alone thought of or even attempted to accomplish. Warrick was not without rhythm either; he could move her around him as though she weighed as little as a feather, and some of the ladies' eyes in the room never left his body. By the end of the song Catherine was facing Warrick and there was not an air pocket between their bodies. They were both breathing heavily and smiling slightly at each other. Catherine interrupted their still very stimulating moment.  
  
"I'm so drunk."  
  
"I know the feeling." Warrick answered, swaying slightly as he did so.  
  
"Hey Warrick, thanks for helping me out back there, I appreciate it. It'd be weird if everyone knew it was Grissom under the mistletoe instead of you."  
  
"Tell me about it. It's still creeping me out - if they saw what I saw..."  
  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
  
  
Third and final part coming up very soon. Thanks for your feedback guys - keep it coming. Glad you're liking it. C 


	3. Gaze

Chapter 3 - Gaze  
  
  
  
December 31st - 11:30pm  
Brass' Kitchen  
  
  
  
"So what's going on with you and Grissom anyway?" Warrick asked Catherine, letting his curiosity getting the better of him and interrupting Catherine mid sentence on a completely different subject matter. She paused and looked at him.  
  
"Nothing." She answered him simply.   
  
He looked at her, obviously waiting for something else that she was not going to offer. She sighed and said,   
  
"We work together and I don't even know if he wants-"  
  
"Believe me, he does."   
  
Catherine stared at him blankly.   
  
"Come on, Cath. You must have seen the way he looks at you." There was a pause, and then Warrick said with a smile, "He gazes."  
  
"Oh, Come on, Warrick. Grissom does not gaze at me."   
  
Warrick only smiled. Catherine took in another breath to continue when Greg came rushing in.  
  
"Guys, Brass said we have to all pair up for 12 o'clock. How about it Superwoman? Care to rescue the big, bad bat?"   
  
At that moment Grissom walked in.  
  
"I think someone else is in need of a bigger rescue." Catherine said glancing from Greg in his Batman apparel to Grissom in his Bugman outfit.   
  
Warrick and Greg took the hint and left the room leaving Catherine and Grissom alone - Well Warrick took the hint anyway and more escorted Greg out of the kitchen.  
  
"You know, I caught those two at it once." Greg said as they had exited the room. "They were in some sort of passionate embrace - they made me swear not to tell anyone, but seeing as I'm slightly drunk," he carried on, tripping over his foot as he spoke, "I think it's ok for me to say something about it. It was obvious someone was going to catch them one day; they were in full view! It was shocking! The look on my face must've been a picture."  
  
"Yeh, man. That feeling is all too familiar."  
  
  
  
Catherine was seated on the kitchen counter with a glass of vodka and orange juice and Grissom walked up to her. He stopped a couple of feet in front of her.  
  
"You want a drink?" She asked as she poured same contents as her drink into a glass and handed it to him. He accepted gratefully.   
  
She looked back to Grissom from putting the bottles back on the counter and saw it for the first time - Grissom was gazing at her. She was grinning at him, probably due to the alcohol content in her blood; she leaned forwards so that her face was just centimetres from his, lifted one hand up to his head and pulled off his antennas. She ran a hand leisurely through his hair, sorting out where the band had made his hair go flat, never taking her eyes off his for a moment. She pulled back fairly quickly in order to break the moment they were having and started smiling again as she tossed the antennas around in her hands.  
  
"I didn't know Warrick was such a good dancer." He said breaking the long silence between them.   
  
The silent moments they had occasionally were never tense; they could sit for hours not saying a word and there would be no uneasiness. Catherine chuckled at his comment and replied,   
  
"You were watching then."  
  
"Catherine, the entire guest list was watching."   
  
Catherine quickly looked up at him from the antennas in her hands when he said this.  
  
"Don't be so surprised. Do you remember what you were doing? There wasn't anyone who couldn't watch." He said grinning. "There is going to be a lot of rumours going round about you two now."  
  
"It's Brass' fault," she told him. "If he hadn't kept providing me with drinks every time I emptied my glass, I would never have danced like that in public!...again."   
  
She started laughing at the memory of the dance but Grissom interrupted when he heard a beautiful slow song wind its way out through the speakers,  
  
"Hey Cath, you... you want to dance with me?" Then he quickly filled in, "Not like that though - I don't think I could take that."   
  
He stepped towards her as he added,   
  
"So, will you?"   
  
As he came forwards Catherine's knees parted so he could stand between her legs and lean against the counter where she had placed herself, lessening their proximity further. At her higher level on the counter, she looked down on him slightly. She was surprised at his sudden forwardness as he placed his hands on her hips to slide her off the counter. When she stepped onto the floor, her body was millimetres apart from his, both hands on his upper arms and he kept his rested on her hips. It was Grissom's turn this time to break the sensual moment between them, he took her hands in his and with a cunning look, that was also reflected in her face, and in an almost excited, child-like way he hurriedly pulled her to the dance floor.  
  
  
  
Grissom thought that Catherine seemed to bring out the rhythm in her partners as she danced; it was like this with him as well. And although the dance between him and Catherine was not as lascivious as the movements between Warrick and Catherine were, they still seemed to have acquired an intimate rhythm. As they swayed their eyes never left each other's. Although the space between them was not closed by force like Catherine and Warrick's was, it was the closest she had ever been to anyone. Electricity was flying off them in sparks. Their hearts were racing and even Catherine's hands were shaking slightly. At the end of Catherine and Warrick's dance they were breathless from their movements - the present couple were hardly moving and yet at the end of the song, both were breathing heavily as their dancing ceased. They did not however, pull apart. Their arms were still wrapped around each other as they heard the distant count down of the clock by Brass and his guests. This volume increased as it brought Catherine and Grissom back from their reveries.  
  
"...8". They looked around them. "7". People were already coupled together. "6". Sara and Nick were standing together. "5". They both smiled at the thought. "4". They looked back at each other, both waiting for the other to pull away. "3". It never happened. "2" They smiled at each other.   
  
"Shall we?" Catherine asked with a mischievous grin on her face.  
  
"1... HAPPY NEW YEAR!"  
  
Grissom smiled in agreement with Catherine,   
  
"Happy New Year, Cath."   
  
Catherine smiled her response and nothing happened for a few seconds. Then Grissom slid his hands up from her waist to her neck, never letting them leave her body for a moment. One hand rested on her neck with his thumb under her bottom jaw and his fingers round the back of her neck while the other moved gently under her chin and he pulled her face towards his. He lingered for a few moments with their lips only just touching, giving Catherine a chance to pull back. She didn't.   
  
The kiss was gentle at first, and full of love and respect for the woman standing before him. Grissom was finding it hard to keep it that way; he thought it could be the drink but everyone around him at that moment was absorbed into the walls, seemingly leaving Catherine and him unaccompanied. The kiss began to deepen from failure by both to control their desires...  
  
"Ehem." Brass' third unsubtle cough caught the attention of Catherine and Grissom and they quickly pulled apart. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I interrupt?" the sarcasm in his voice was evident.   
  
He walked past chuckling as he went. Catherine and Grissom looked at each other breathlessly. They then looked around seeing a crowd of astonished facial expressions; the couple had had an audience. They turned back to each other and Catherine flicked her eyebrows up then back quickly, smirking at what they had achieved as she did so. Both turned on heel and walked in the opposite direction, satisfied.  
  
  
  
Grissom was sitting on a swing outside with Nick standing beside him when Catherine saw him. She walked around the other people outside (her cat suit giving herself a lot of attention), to join her two colleagues and sat on the rejected swing next to Grissom not saying a word.  
  
"Well... I... I think I'll go and find... Sara." Nick told them as he left, but not without a backward glance when he was walking away.  
  
Neither of the people on the swings said a word for a while, then both spontaneously erupted into laughter. When she had calmed down, wiping the tears of laughter running down her cheeks, Catherine said,  
  
"We have to do this more often. Did you see everyone's faces? I think we worked our magic pretty good this time."   
  
She saw Grissom nod and heard him chuckle.  
  
"Yeh. But we're going to have to stop now, right? Fun's over - everybody's seen us - no more faces for pure comedy value." He paused. Then, "I think Greg gets first prize."   
  
Catherine chuckled at the memory of Greg falling into their game from the very beginning. She paused for a moment and contemplated whether she should voice her next thought. She decided to speak up. Her tone became enticing as she said,  
  
"Well... I've got to admit, I'm not sure if I just do it for the faces anymore."   
  
This comment stopped him in his tracks with a complete slap, bang halt. He looked at her and found her smiling at him mysteriously, her eyes dancing with mischief.  
  
  
  
*#~ THE END ~#*  
  
  
************  
  
  
Thank you for your feedback. I hope you like part 3 - More feedback would be wonderful!! Cath 


	4. Epilogue

**Felt like this story need a little more so whipped this baby up very quickly. Short but sweet. Please let me know what you think.**  
  
January 2nd – 7:05am  
CSI Breakroom  
  
Catherine noticed something was unusual the moment she walked into the breakroom when she had arrived at work some 10 hours earlier; the talking had ceased and glances were thrown her way. She had to admit that she didn't expect any less; particularly from her co-workers. Kissing your boss in front of dozens of people who you know, would never go unnoticed or become an unmentionable topic of conversation – infact this particular occurrence had been spread around like wild fire and had been dissected until nothing more could be said on the subject. This, however, still did not seem to stop the talk, although everyone had decided not to mention anything about it to Grissom or to Catherine.  
  
Catherine, although admitting to Grissom that their prank together became more like something she wanted to do, had also mentioned to him that she understood that nothing serious would happen between them. Grissom agreed with Catherine, with the same reluctance, but both were content to have fun while it lasted.  
  
"Hi guys," Catherine said at the end of her long and tedious night, but still in her usual vivacious manner.  
  
Warrick, Nick, Sara and Greg were all in the breakroom. All replied their 'hellos' and enquired after her case.  
  
"It was a dud. Turns out our man stole his _own _money from his _own _bank to claim the insurance. Clever, huh?... Hi, Grissom."  
  
"Hi." Grissom had just entered the breakroom looking tired but happy.  
  
Grissom now, however unaware, had the full attention of the whole room, apart from Catherine, while he walked towards her as she was taking a snack out of the microwave. They watched him snake his arm around her stomach and spin her round to face him, all whilst she was taking a bite out of her small chunk of food.  
  
Now with his two hands holding her waist, Grissom said,  
  
"Don't fill yourself up before breakfast."  
  
Catherine rested her elbows on Grissom's arms, still with her snack up to her lips.  
  
"I wouldn't dream of it," she replied.  
  
"Good," Grissom said, and kissed her lightly and quickly on her lips. Catherine smiled at him and walked over to the chairs where their 'audience' was waiting, gaping at the couple. Recently this had become the more common expression used when looking at Catherine and Grissom.  
  
Something suddenly clicked with Greg.  
  
"It was Grissom you kissed under the mistletoe, not Warrick!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Well done, Greg," Catherine remarked with evident sarcasm. "Full marks." She smiled at Warrick as Grissom came over to join the group, sitting opposite Catherine.  
  
Feet stretched out in front of him, Grissom managed, purely by accident, to touch the tip of Catherine's feet, apparently absent of shoes. She looked across the table at him, and he felt her begin to rub her feet slowly against his. One of her feet went to the back of one of his shoes and he felt the shoe subtly slide off as Catherine tugged gently at it.  
  
Their little game lasted as a conversation about the night's cases got underway. All the while, through Catherine and Grissom's answers and questions mixed up in the conversation, their feet continued to press against one another. Catherine had no idea what Grissom was thinking, but her stomach was telling her that she was beginning to become wound up by their actions. She began to drift away from the conversation and could only concentrate on the movement between her and Grissom. His foot stroked the length of one of Catherine's then moved around it, making Catherine's legs feel like jelly.  
  
"Right, I'm off home then." Warrick stood up and walked to the sink to wash up his mug that was earlier filled with coffee.  
  
This brought Catherine out of her reverie and she pulled away from Grissom.  
  
"Night, guys. See you tomorrow," Warrick continued.  
  
"Not me," Catherine said. "Day off," she continued at Warrick's questioning glance.  
  
"Alright, well, night everyone," Warrick said, and along with goodbyes from the rest of the people in the room, he set off.  
  
"I might call it a night too," This time a slight Texas drawl sounded round the room. People said their goodbyes to Nick and he also left the room.  
  
One by one the night shift departed from the breakroom leaving only Grissom and Catherine, who purposefully delayed their own farewells until everyone else had left. Once the last person walked out of the room Catherine lifted herself out of her chair and sat on the sofa that Grissom was occupying. She slumped down next to him, lifted her left leg and crossed it over his right one. Grissom responsively put his arm around Catherine as she leaned against him.  
  
"Tired?" he enquired.  
  
"Sort of," she replied, then looked up to Grissom's face. He slowly lowered his head towards Catherine's and kissed her lips slowly and gently. He heard her groan quietly as she felt him slide his tongue tenderly into her mouth. After a while Catherine pulled away. She looked at Grissom, faces still close together and in a low whisper, said,  
  
"You've never done that when we've been alone before."  
  
"I'm sorry," Grissom said, with worry forming his features slightly.  
  
"Don't apologise," Catherine told him with a smile. "I liked it."  
  
A sudden noise sounded by the door and both Grissom and Catherine's heads turned as Greg walked back into the breakroom. He had seen Grissom and Catherine as he entered the room and, without stopping, he gave the couple on the sofa a big grin and said,  
  
"Don't mind me. Forgot my pie."  
  
He went to the fridge, took out his pie and walked out of the room; all while Catherine was leaning on Grissom with one leg over his. Their eyes followed Greg in and out of the room. Neither said word and disbelief was evident in their features.  
  
"Guess what their topic to each other on the phone will be this morning," Grissom remarked.  
  
Catherine laughingly agreed, then heard Grissom say, "Come on, I want some breakfast."  
  
"Ok," Catherine said as she lifted herself out of her seat. "Your place or mine?"  
  
Grissom looked at her and saw that her expression was serious. He had not expected their fun and games to go this far. He made his decision.  
  
"Yours."  
  
**The End.  
Hope you like it. r&r. Cath **


End file.
